Confessions
by chopstick
Summary: They finally confess their love for each other..


It was a chilly spring night when Kenshin sat outside against a tree, staring at the starless sky. It was late at night, but he couldn't sleep because there were too many things on his mind. His sword was by his side, as usual. A slight breeze blew past, and cherry blossom petals flew past. He didn't know, but somebody was watching him from afar all this time.  
  
Kaoru looked outside her window, staring at Kenshin. She wanted to go outside to see what he was up to, but she couldn't make herself move. She thought that Kenshin might've been thinking about something important, since he hasn't had much time to himself lately. She desperately wanted to tell him how she felt about him, but no matter how many times she tried, something held her back. She decided to watch him from her window until he went inside the dojo.  
  
Kenshin was thinking about Kaoru, how he wanted to protect her and stay with her by her side every moment. He secretly loved her, but he kept his true feelings inside. He heard an owl hoot in the distance and looked around. The moon was full and bright, and it made him think of Kaoru even more, because Kaoru liked to watched the moonlight pass by. He sat there for awhile, then decided to go to bed, hoping that his thoughts would wash away.  
  
Kenshin opened his eyes and saw the bright sunlight shine through his window. He got up and changed into his training clothes and went out to the forest to train, then get wood for the dojo. As he walked out of the dojo, he had a feeling that somebody was watching him.  
  
Kaoru woke up to the sound of Kenshin closing the door to the dojo. She walked to her window and saw him walking towards the woods. She knew that he was going to train then get wood to build a fire for this morning's breakfast. She wanted to follow him, but she thought that she would be a bother towards him. She decided to go back to sleep, since there was no point in looking out the window at that time.  
  
After a few hours of training in the woods, Kenshin sat down beside a tree and thought about Kaoru. He wanted to admit his feelings to her, but somehow he couldn't. He wasn't the type of person to admit his feelings to somebody else. He decided that he should talk to her alone today, after breakfast. He was sure that she didn't have any morning chores besides clean up.  
  
"Geez! Kaoru, what the hell did you put in this rice?" Sanosuke cried out loud, after taking his first bite of rice.  
  
"Umm. just some herbs for flavoring," Kaoru said. "Does it taste that bad?"  
  
"It tastes. spicy and sour," Sanosuke said. "Just like you! Always spicy and sour."  
  
"Shut up!" Kaoru said, smacking Sanosuke on the head.  
  
"Actually, this is kind of tasty," Megumi said, taking another bite of rice. "Weird flavoring, but tasty."  
  
"Tasty? It tastes like she put gallons of hot sauce and salt on it!" Sanosuke said.  
  
"Don't be mean, Sanosuke. You should learn how to eat what's put for you on the table," Megumi said, smiling.  
  
At that moment, Yahiko came running through the door.  
  
"I'm hungry. What's there to eat?" Yahiko asked.  
  
"Where were you, Yahiko?" Kaoru asked, getting him a bowl of rice.  
  
"Oh, sorry I'm late. I slept in." Yahiko said.  
  
After everybody finished their meal, they helped Kaoru clean up. Kaoru decided to take a walk outside, since it was a beautiful day. She walked through the dojo doors and stared past the forest. She wondered where Kenshin was and when he would be coming home. Training never lasted this long before.  
  
She walked on the path towards the forest, hoping that Kenshin would walk out at this very moment. She leaned against a cherry blossom tree, picking at the petals of a cherry blossom. At that very moment, Kenshin walked out of the forest, with beads of sweat trailing down from his face.  
  
"Miss Kaoru, what are you doing here?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"Oh, I'm just taking a walk. It's just such a lovely day." Kaoru said, staring at the cherry blossoms above. "Aren't you hungry? We all ate breakfast without you, I hope you don't mind."  
  
"I'm not hungry right now." Kenshin said. Inside, he wanted to ask her if he would accompany her on her walk, but he didn't have the courage to ask her. He wanted to talk with her, but he didn't know how to start the conversation.  
  
"Would you like to go for a walk with me?" Kaoru asked. Kenshin looked up and nodded. They started down the path leading towards the forest and Kenshin thought of what to say to break the silence.  
  
"Miss Kaoru. I've been wanting to tell you ---"  
  
"KENSHIN! KAORU! KENSHIN! KAORU!" Yahiko came running down the path, calling out their names.  
  
"What happened?" Kaoru asked.  
  
"Megumi wanted me to tell you that she needed your help. But she told me it's not that important, so you can come later." Yuhiko said.  
  
"Oh. Well, I suppose I'll go now to get whatever she wants over with." Kaoru said. "Kenshin, we'll finish our talk later. How about after lunch?" Kenshin nodded, looking at the ground.  
  
Kenshin stared at Kaoru while she and Yuhiko walked back up the path towards the dojo. He was so close to telling her how he felt. but now he had more time to think about what he had to say. He walked up the path slowly.  
  
"Thanks for coming, Kaoru. I just need help with some antidotes in my medicine cabinet. Do you mind getting some items in the forest for me?" Megumi asked.  
  
"Oh, sure." Kaoru said.  
  
"Here's the list," Megumi said, thrusting a piece of paper towards her. "I would like them before lunch, please. Try your best to find them."  
  
Kaoru set off towards the woods to find the plants for the antidotes. She thought about what Kenshin was about to say to her. She would know by now, if only Yuhiko didn't come to interrupt. She decided to tell him her feelings for him after lunch, because she couldn't hold it in any longer.  
  
After getting all the plants, Kaoru walked up the path in silence. She thought of Kenshin. how if he didn't feel the same way about her? How if he didn't feel anything at all? She sighed, staring up the path towards the dojo.  
  
"KAORU!" Sanosuke yelled out from behind.  
  
"Sanosuke! Don't sneak up on me like that!" Kaoru exclaimed.  
  
"Sorry, I was bored. I just finished training in the woods and saw you on the path. What were you doing?"  
  
"Oh, I was getting some plants for Megumi. She needs them for antidotes or whatever."  
  
"I see. Well, aren't you lucky, you get to do a special task for Megumi."  
  
"What do you mean, I'm lucky?"  
  
"Oh it's nothing."  
  
"Tell me!"  
  
"Well, you better not tell anybody."  
  
"I won't. I promise. If I tell you can punch me till I'm black and blue."  
  
"I won't do that. Maybe I'll punch you though."  
  
"Tell me now!"  
  
"Well, I sort of. well, not sort of. I'll tell it to you straight out. I have feelings for Megumi."  
  
"Huh? Megumi? You? Like her?" Kaoru started to laugh.  
  
"What's so funny?"  
  
"Do you think you'll have a chance with her? Well, I mean, you would have a chance with her, but since she's always busy. do you think you two could keep a steady relationship?"  
  
"I don't know. I never asked her out. I'm too shy to. I try to tell her how I feel but she's always busy with something."  
  
"Take her out for a walk or something after dinner. Then you can tell it to her straight out."  
  
"Good idea. But she's always working after dinner."  
  
"I don't think that she'll be busy today. She just needs to finish her antidotes, and then she's taking a break for the rest of the day. She needs a break, she seems pretty tired from all this medicine stuff."  
  
"I see. well maybe. well I'll ask her if she wants to take a walk. I'll feel kind of awkward, if most of our walk is in silence. How if she's stunned or something from learning that I have feelings for her?"  
  
"I'm sure she won't be."  
  
The two walked into the dojo and separated to different paths. Sanosuke went to the training room and Kaoru went to Megumi's office.  
  
"Megumi, I have the things you requested." Kaoru said.  
  
"Oh, thanks so much for your help, Kaoru! Maybe I can have a night off tonight." Megumi said.  
  
"Oh, you should take a night out. Maybe something exciting will happen tonight."  
  
"Hmm. I don't know."  
  
After lunch, Kaoru walked outside and saw Kenshin leaning against a cherry blossom tree.  
  
"Ready for our walk?" Kaoru asked gently. He nodded, staring at the ground.  
  
"It's such a beautiful day, don't you think?" Kaoru asked, trying to make some conversation.  
  
"Yes, it is."  
  
"Are you going to train this afternoon?"  
  
"No, I need a break. I've had too much training."  
  
"I've noticed."  
  
"Miss Kaoru."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I would like to."  
  
Kaoru looked into his eyes. "We should sit down here." They both sat down beside a cherry blossom tree.  
  
"I'm not sure how I should say this, but."  
  
"Just say it."  
  
"Well. Kaoru, you're the one." Kenshin stuttered. "You're the one. that. that. I've been.."  
  
Kaoru looked deeply into his eyes. He looked serious.  
  
"You're. the. one that I've been. loving. all this time."  
  
Kaoru looked at him and smiled.  
  
"Kenshin. you're the one that I've been loving all this time too. I never expressed my feelings because I didn't think that you would feel the same about me. Sometimes I want to talk to you, like we're talking right now, alone, but things come in between us. Hopefully, since we've confessed each other's feelings. hopefully we have talks like this more often."  
  
"Yes. I would like that. I wanted to talk to you about how I felt for awhile, but something always held me back."  
  
"I see. Well, how about we have a chat like this everyday after lunch. or after dinner, if you prefer."  
  
"I would like to talk after dinner. because I might have training in the afternoon. I don't want anything to get in the way of our talks alone."  
  
"Alright. Well, what do you want to do now?"  
  
"I'm not sure. What would you like to do?"  
  
"I don't know. Maybe just sit here, listen to the wind blow and watch the cherry blossom petals flutter past."  
  
They sat there until the sun started to set, staring into the sunset. Then they started to walk on the path towards the dojo in silence. Kaoru was happy that she finally told Kenshin about how she felt. Now she could spend time with him, talk about anything she chose. Inside, she hoped that they could go on to another step. 


End file.
